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ARC Theatre Presents : Jekyll and Hyde
In anticipation for the upcoming musical "Jekyll and Hyde" presented by ARC Theatre, Web Wombat caught up with Director Jason Vikse.
What can people expect from the show?
I think people can expect to be surprised. Everyone thinks they know the story of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, but this version has a few added characters, some love interests, and a more complex storyline than even the hardcore fans of the book will expect. Add to that our super-talented cast, some stunningly beautiful music, and even a bit of dance, and it all combines to make a production that exceeds expectations.
What attracted you to directing a classic like Jekyll and Hyde? Are there pressures on you to conform with previous productions of it?
This is the second time I’ve worked on a musical adaptation of a literary classic (the first being the musical version of the American classic, Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott). I think what attracts me to the classics is the idea of showing the audience a new perspective on an old story. I love finding ways to give fresh depth and dimensions to characters and plots that may seem tired or worn out. My cast has worked extremely hard to make sure that they’re presenting their own versions of the characters, and not just fitting into the mould of those who have gone before. Luckily, this is not a terribly well-known musical, in spite of its success on Broadway and its popularity among the theatrical community, and so I find that people don’t really have the expectations for the look or feel of the show that you would find if you were producing West Side Story or any other standard musical. Still, all of the cast, crew, and production team have been working hard to ensure that our production is unique.
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How does this style of show compare to others (in terms of directing) for you?
The trick with this show is that it can be tough to pin down its “style.” It’s a classic story, first published in 1886, but the musical version is quite new, first playing on Broadway in 1997. The music is a mixture of sweeping orchestral melodies, harmonic chorus numbers, and soaring power ballads. It’s a horror, drama, comedy, period piece, science fiction, costume drama, and love story, often all at the same time! This variation means that I’ve been able to play with a lot of different directing techniques to make sure that the audience is given a multi-faceted experience, comprising the best of a variety of styles. It has been a terrific experience to be able to come in each day not tied down to a certain way of doing things. It’s allowed for a lot of inspiration from different quarters, which means a much more developed and complex show for the performers, as well as the audience.
What's your greatest challenge as a stage director?
The greatest challenge for me is making sure that the audience is going to see a singular vision onstage. Theatre is a team sport, and has so many facets that need to be joined into one idea. The greatest challenge, and at the same time the most fun part of directing is bringing all the elements (actors, music, dance, set, costumes, props, lighting, hair and makeup, sound, etc.) together and creating one big picture. There’s nothing more satisfying at the end of the day than watching everything come together perfectly (although it can sometimes result in a receding hairline before it all works!)
Have you ever wanted to venture on stage in front of the crowd?
I sure have! I was an actor long before I was a director.
Does a successful show mean more to you as a director or as an actor?
Definitely as a director. As an actor, you’re aware of your position in the whole story and the role you play in telling it, but your responsibility is to your character and your scenes. As a director, my responsibility is to all the characters and all the scenes, so the sense of accomplishment is all the greater as a result. As an actor, you can be satisfied with a good personal performance, as a director, it’s my job to make sure that every performance is as good as it can be, and works towards one goal: the successful telling of the story.
There are some great songs throughout the show - have you got a personal favourite?
So many! The chorus numbers have all become favourites, and Jekyll/Hyde sings some amazing pieces, but I would have to say that In His Eyes, a duet sung by the Emma and Lucy characters is a personal favourite of mine, and the performers (Rosabelle Elliott and Tess Branchflower) sing it beautifully.
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Directors shouldn't play favourites - but they do - have you found yourself enjoying a particular character or actors performance for this show more than others?
This entire show hinges on the performance of the actor playing Jekyll/Hyde. To play a title role can be demanding for any actor, to play a dual title role even more so, but in this show, our lead, Leighton Irwin often has to play both characters at the same time. That is a huge challenge, but one that he has risen to, and his incredible performance is the backbone of our production.
And the most important thing to remember as a director is....?
Tell the story. With so many personalities and elements to theatre, especially musical theatre, sometimes the truth of the story and the emotion of the characters can get lost among the performances and the song and dance. The most important thing for a director to remember is to make sure that all the elements are working together to tell the story.
What's next for Jason Vikse?
Sleep! After 9.5 months of working on this show, it’ll be time for a rest! But hopefully after a few long naps I’ll be back again, driving a new bunch of actors crazy, or maybe even performing again myself! No solid plans yet, there’s too much for me to focus on over the next few weeks!
And finally - what's your dream directing job?
Ooooh, tough one. For musical theatre I would say Ragtime. For straight play, I would go with Twelve Angry Men.
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